Merry Christine

http://www.musculardevelopment.com/content/blogsection/21/137/

I highly recommend everyone to listen to this No Bull interview, for it is all about womens IFBB/NPC competitions.  The guys are BS’ing for the first 10 minutes or so, so just be patient.   Crazy guys….Sandy (Rinalli) Williamson is the the first guest, Then Lenda Murray, then Steve Wennerstrom.  Please take the time to listen to this, especially if you feel you are truly a competitor, heart and soul.

My friend and I figured that one out talking about getting older and feeling like I am going crazy.  It’s like the earth is spinning a little faster.  However, that is only a factor when the media is turned on in one’s space.  Again, like I have said before.  The TV NEEDS to be turned off once in a while for a whole day.  OR TWO………….. 

I am wondering, (IF, anyone really does read this thing) what you girls think about the one piece elimination.  The figure thing is so out of control, and with NPC talking about that bikini category, how crazy is this going to get?  So you will have figure AND bikini.  So I see the bikini just being two piece.  Not totally sure what the whole concept was about with the one and two piece.

I do remember when fitness FIRST came around, they had a fitness routine, two piece, then an evening gown round.  I think that Miss Fitness organization still does that.  I think that the one piece suit replaced that idea with NPC/IFBB.   All of that being said I am curious of reactions to that news.

Back to the statement at the beginning.  My poor mind is so goggled that I just go blank every time I get on my blog page.  Mostly because I just can’t imagine anyone giving a shit about what I have to say anyway, just a fact, not whinning.  ……..Sooooooooooooooooooooooo……let me go over here to my book shelf….hmmm…..still haven’t found my old poetry book.  When do find it I will flood you silly with my sweet poems I used to write out in the Hamptons.

Okay, this is great.  My bible of bodybuilding is Bill Pearl’s, “Keys to the Inner Universe”.  If you don’t have  this book, and truly love the art of bodybuilding and pumping iron, you really need to get it.  www.billpearl.com .  Get the hard cover book, it’s totally worth it.  So this is the first part of his “Conduct becoming a CHAMPION” chapter.  I love this……….

“It is human nature to want to be successful.  Lasting success does not come easily and a price must be paid to obtain it.  Success in bodybuilding could come in a short span of time, but, lasting recognition takes several years of planning and hard work.

If you want to be a champion, or associate with champions, you must act like a champion.  This is far from easy.  People are continually trying you and making decisions in their minds as to the kind of person you are.  The only things they can judge on are your appearance and actions.  If these are bad, their evaluation of you is bad.  Large muscles alone will not bring you lasting success or respectability.  You must always be aware of your image and the kind of attention you acquire.  In many respects these are more important than an outstanding physique.  In time the physique will diminish but it is the overall impact you have made on people that causes them to remember you.   It is therefore important that you become aware of your actions.  It is your obligation to yourself, the sport, and fellow men to gain the best image possible.    This image cannot be obtained by offending people.  Remember, people you offend today, young or old, could sit in judgment of you tomorrow.  It is important to understand that success will bring attention to you.  It is also important to realize success.  Therefore you must be concerned that you are receiving attention that can pay dividends.  Physical fitness is only a small portion of your total self.”……….

Then it goes on to teach how to achieve this.  It is absolutely wonderful!  My favorite bodybuilding book…………………….

Fall is here, and it is dark and gloomy.  When I wake up it is always dark and gloomy now.  Even when the sky is clear it still does not get light out until a little after 7am.  So I have no desire to get out and do my morning run until about 8.  There goes my mornings.  This morning, I finally got off my tush and woke up my dogs (believe it or not my Pit bulls do NOT like to wake up in the morning).  Sometimes I just put my head down and when I get to the first trail I just jog and completely space out, like I am not even in my body.   So I am jogging along thinking about gawd knows what, and Lola runs past me.  I look ahead and not more that ten yards ahead is a fluffy St. Bernard sized black bear doing EXACTLY what I am.  Not paying attention moseying along the trail.  Lucy ran past me too so I yelled as loud as I could “LOLA LEAVE THE BEAR ALONE!!!!”  The bear turned around a saw Lola behind him and took a sharp right into the bushes.  Lola and Lucy went the same way, but came back out onto the trail almost immediately.  I was amazed they didn’t keep going.  They use to take off after the critters and sometimes it would take up to an hour to get them back, foaming at the mouth completely out of breath.  It took five years to get Lola to realize chasing the critters does not pay out.  Three times she has had her butt ripped open chasing critters, not understanding wild life likes to be left alone.  So I am VERY proud of her this morning.  She finally gets it.  And there is nothing more exciting than being that close to wildllife that size.  He was absoltuley beautiful.  Big, black and fluffy.  I can’t get over how thick and healthy the bears behind my place are.  I felt bad for I scared the poor guy this morning.  I am sure he is over it by now.

Change subject…..Sometimes I watch trainers at the various gyms I belong to, or, catch a bit of something on the boob tube, and I am amazed at the “new trends” in training.  However……once in a while I pull out some of my old training books that go back as far as the early 70’s and flip throught the pages in curiosity, just to check back at the things I learned way back when.  It leaves me baffled because there are a ton of super smart excercises you never see anymore on the floor of a gym that are so essential. 

As far as knowing your body and knowing muscle I am sure there are very few people who realy understand, let alone even care about.  Most are more concerned about being lean and porportionate without having to learn about what is actually underneath the skin.  So I just wanted to share this bit of information I was reading the other day in a “70’s” fitness class paperwork that I was referring back to.  It is about the Structural Classification of Muscles.  There are seven;

Longitudinal - This is a long straplike muscle whose fibers lie parallel to its long axis.  Tow examples are the rectus abdominis on the front of the abdomen and the sartorius, which slants across the front of the thigh.

Triangular or Fan Shaped - This is a relatively flat type of muscle whose fibers radiate from a narrow attachment at the one end to a broad attachment at the other.  The pectoralis major on the front of the chest is an excellent example. 

Fusiform or Spindle-Shaped - This is usually a rounded muscle which tapers at either end.  It may be long or short, large or small.  Good examples are the brachialis and the brachioradialis muscles of the arm.

Penniform or Feather-like - In this type of muscle a series of short parallel fibers extends diagonally from the side of a long tendon, giving the muscle as a whole the appearance of a wing feather.  Examples are digitorum longus and dibialis poesterior muscles of the leg.

Bipenniform - This is a double penniform muscle.  It is characterized by a long central tendon with the fibers extending diagonally in pairs from either side of the tendon.  It resembles a symmetrical tail feather.  Examples are flexor hallucis longus and rectus femoris.

Multipenniform - In this type of muscle there are several tendons present, with the muscle fibers running diagonally between them.  The middle portion of the deltoid muscle is an example of a multipenniform muscle.

Now go to your anatomy reference book and look these up so you can understand.  I believe the more you understand, the mechanics of the muscles, the more you yourself can understand what it takes ot make them stronger/healthier.  I believe anyone that takes the time to work out needs to take the time to reference what they are actually doing to themselves.  Or should I say for themselves. 

People are constantly asking me my opinions on supplements, and hardly ever ask about training.  Why is that?  Are we really becoming that world where every answer comes in pill form?  I think so………hmmm…….

So here is the kicker………..My peeps know I was at the Olympia this past week working with my little bro, Toney Freeman.  How many years have I been making suits for the female competitors in this industry??  A few decades, yes?   How many fitness and figure suits have I made?  WHO comes up with all of the groovy designs that everyone tries to outdo or copy?  Yes, of course, ME!  How many times have I ever got a good word out of a female commentator about my suits,,,,,,,,,,,,,,0.  So this weekend I finally get props.  NO, of course not from the girls……………….Mr. Dave Palumbo gives me a shout out on a No Bull O review,  www.musculardevelopment.com , thats who!  He gives me some credit for making my big daddy’s awesome trunks.  Of course saying they were probably worth 20 grand didn’t help, but I know he was just smitten by them, that’s all.  I met him for the first time this weekend when he came over to our pad for a bit.  What an incredibly funny and great dude.  So, I am giving a SHOUT OUT!!!……………back at ya, Mr. Palumbo, thanks for noticing……..

I didn’t get a chance to go to the expo and see all the great gals I adore so much, for I was focused on the project at hand, WHICH went successfully.  But I did get to see a few gals, and I must say Ms. Bea Fox, is one of the sweetest gals in the industry.  Thanks for helping Sunday by making the bacon!

If you haven’t gone to www.bodybuilding.com for the Olympia webcast, you really must.  At least to watch Toneys performance.  It is amazing.  Everything just clicked this weekend.  We had this down perfectly.  He may have been stuck in the fifth place spot, but DAMN, that crowd was showing him some love.  And when we walked outside the arena after the show, he was greeted with hundreds of fans throwing the X arms in the air and chanting his name.  It was completely surreal.  I think that people feel his sufferage.  He competes at so dang many shows.  Has his GREAT wins, and a few wierd placings, but he ALWAYS performs for his fans.  He always has the time to give someone a hug if they approach him.  And LAWDY, LAWDY, just wait till the Arnold…………………………………………..He is a professional, he knows what he needs to do.  With this man, age has nothing to do with it.  He IS a SHOWMAN.  And he loves doing it.

So now, I am with a fresh plate, getting ready to start on more suits, and I will let my crazy brain go forward, and MAYBE I can come up with some more crazy toughts to put down for your entertainment.

Promise I will try……………………………………..

As time goes by, I feel a little troll growing inside of me, scraping at my inards to get out.  BOY, do I feel grumpy 50% of the time.  I know that is not my character, but this past year I am more disoriented than ever before. 

Got that off of my chest, now I must tell a humbling story…..  .. . .

Last year when I competed at the Empire Classic, in Spokane Washington (which I won, by the way), I was backstage by myself trying to get oiled and pumped up for prejudging.  This guy was next to me doing the same.  I am not sure what started the conversing, but he was telling me he had a gym at home (like me) and his family had no interest (like me) and he faithfully worked out every day (like me), and it was irritating the crap out of me.  Then he turns to me and says “Can you do me a favor?”, holding a bottle of spray oil.  Like a bitch I said “DUDE!  I am trying to get myself ready here!”, so he turns to another woman and asks her to just spritz the center of his back.  As I am pulling things out of my bag I realize I have NO towel!  I exclaimed “Oh crap!  I have no towel!”  This man turns to me and says “Here, I will share mine with you, no problem.”  I felt so ashamed, but in desperation, I used his towel.  Turned out he won his class also.  Then driving all the way back from Spokane to Snohomish, my friend Shannon and I stop at a rest stop to pee and this mini van pulls in with a family, and guess who gets out to use the rest stop??  Yup, it was this guy, Buck Rogers, for real, that is his name.  AND,,,,,,,he is wearing my MCB mens t-shirt.  So I made him take a picture with me showing off the shirt (its on my about page in the colage of pictures).

Now honestly, that incident has NEVER left my head.  Not more than a couple of days will go by and I remember that incident to this day.  I have always wished I could let him know how much he taught me that day, during such a small but huge incident for me.

About a month ago, my buddy Big Daddy came here to guest pose at a local show.  So we drive all the way down to Tacoma for this contest, hanging out at a table while Big Daddy signs pictures, etc..   As the men are coming on stage to do their routines the MC says “Buck Rogers!”  Oh my gosh!  After all this time, here is my chance to let this man know what an influence he was on me, so off I run to the back stage.  When I told him how sorry I was for being such a “bitch”, he just told me that especially dieting for a contest, everyone has their moments. 

Anyway, what a stand up guy.  Good family man, respects his body, and I am so glad I finally got to talk to him after all of that time that went by.  And he just sent me an email saying hi.  This is great!  I’ll have to make him a suit next time he competes, don’t you agree everyone??

I have always had this attitude that as a woman, I have the RIGHT to be vain.  I am sure this has to do with defending myself for years, as far back as late seventies in the gym.  Men would look at me like “What the hell is SHE doing in here?”  We all know that a gym was a mans place, or so that was sort of the agenda, back then.  But as time went by, and it got to that time I started competing, staring at myself more in the mirror, anytime a guy would start to get on my shit, I would incinuate that HE was a little strange enjoying himself in the mirror, and I as a WOMAN have every right to be vain.  A guy?……….not……..

So that was the other thing this Buck made me aware of.  Here is a guy that works out at home, NOT at a gym, because he wants to stay healthy, functional and in shape……….SO THANKS MR. BUCK ROGERS!!

NOW, after all of that, I am suppose to do a contest in LA early December.  Subliminally I do not want to do it.  I am stalling and stalling with the diet, cardio, and even training.  I need to get SOMETHING to inspire me to compete again.  I know I use my work as an excuse for time.  And it is true, since I HONESTLY do every single thing here by myself, contrary to what SOME people believe.  But I really do believe that when I train as hard as the girls I work for, it truly makes me even more creative when making the suits for them.  The respect level becomes mutual.  I like that. 

Hmmmmmm, that is a bit inspiring…………….At least its a beginning.

It doesn’t matter where you live, in a house or a cardboard box, every time you open your eyes, there is opportunity for adventure.  Heard something like that on a cartoon this week. 

I am finally caught up!!!  Now if I can just stay focused I will stay that way.  I AM a crystalholic.  I have absolutely no control over my obsession with crystals.  They completely take me over.   You see, it’s not the suits, or making the suits that keep me motivated.  It is the crystal.  If I am not making suits, I am setting crystal in mortar, on walls, statues, I just can’t stop.  I AM AN ADDICT.  

Okay now that I have that off my chest……………..Last year, on my old blog page, I was open about my distress over intense hand pain.  I was going for accupuncture twice a week, trying to avoid the inevitable, surgery.  I would wake up in the middle of the night literally wanting to cut my hands off the pain was so intense.  I was constantly applogizing to my clients, for I was dragging my ass on my work, shaking my hands out every five minutes.  I would drive my car with my hands spread open.  I used hooks on my wrists to pump iron.  It was a complete nightmare.  My buddy, Toney started hankering on me to take in more essential oils.  Continually preaching on me to get off the carbs and start taking in the good fats.  I protested for a while, but finally figured what have I got to loose?

I started out using flax oil.  Then I looked into other EFA’s and learned about hemp oil.  I have a weird way of testing oils.  I put EVERY oil in the fridge.  Even olive oil will get a little solid in the fridge.  Flax gets thick, but not solid in any way.  The hemp oil stays runny like water.  First understand it has NO THC in it, so don’t get weird on me.  It IS green and has a green flavor, so I use it in my greens all the time.  It has been a year and I cannot remember the last time my hands hurt on me.  Oh……….that’s a lie.  Christmas season, and over this 4th of July week, I got slight numbness in my left hand.  Guess why?  I junked out on sugar, simple starch, not enough greens and NO hemp oil.  When you are eating crap, who the hell even THINKS of eating something good for you?  At least until you feel suicidal and can’t wake up in the morning. 

Now Toney has turned me on to this Shark oil from a company called Seabiotics, www.seabiotics.com  .  The Alkyl Transfactor, and the Sealyte, energized structured sea minerals, is what I get.  The Alkyl Transfactor is shark liver oil.  There is a video you can watch.  Then the Sealyte is GREAT for putting in your water ESPECIALLY for working out.  Pure, no crap in it like the sports drinks you spend a ton on. 

So I am not getting anything out of promoting it.  I am just saying, well, that stuff does not get solid in the fridge either…………………….ja know?  So between that and the hemp oil, I have become invincible!

Uh, well, at least I can get a grip…………oh gawd!

Anyway, as much as I am here alone, working day after day, I have a zillion squillion things go on in my head.  Once I sit down to BLAWG……..ugh!  ………………….My mind usually goes BL…………………..

Okay so my update on the TV strike……………..I lasted 2 1/2 days.  The weather was so cold and rainy here I just HAD to watch the news to find out if we were going to get any decent weather.  Then from there I would go from music to more news.  Then back to my “Chiller” chanel (scary movies).  So I did not last a week, that’s for sure but it did make me realize I can survive without it.  I forgot how good it is to just have music on.  I will listen to anything from hardcore rap to classical.  That is how I change my moods.  In fact I listen to classical when I hit the freeway, which is not that often, but the drivers scare the crap out of me, so I zen out with the classical music.

Okay, I am going to slightly speak my peace about this whole National judging thing for figure and the constant attack on my one piece suits.  Are they REALLY that bad??  I just don’t know what to do as far as changing them.  The request’s seem to be so slight that it seems rediculous.  Are they REALLY noticing such minor details.  And one girl told me that MY suit was not “bling” enough………..huh?

Anyway, I am playing with it.  I myself am making some slight changes on the suits but if the judges still aren’t liking it, then, well, maybe I should get back to my interior design.  ………….??

That being said I need, for once, to mention a couple of girls I work with.  Bea, I think you are a beautiful person and you come on that stage so picture perfect.  And Jennifer, for wearing my suits for the first time (one piece being a gift from her husband) you sure put that on the stage first class.  I have had the most wonderful experience this year with the girls I am working with this year.  I have fallen behind and I am forever trying to catch up, but even with that, everyone is so understanding and the love they send back to me makes it all worth the artistic stress……………..

I have this girl I made suits for back in, I think 03 for the first time.  She was a pudgy red head with an attitude.  Attitude toward working out I think, not personal thing.  So anyway she is ordering suits from me for October this year.  She is the first picture on my one piece page right now.  When she emailed me for suits this time and sent the pictures I just about fell on the floor!  She is so damned lean and absolutely stunning!  She reminded me of one day back in 03 when she came over here to pick up her suits and I chewed her out for being so pudgy, chewing her out for eating too much oatmeal and I made her do cardio here and boy, she was NOT happy.  I totally forgot about that.  To see her now and how beautiful she is from her learned discipline, I am dying to see her on stage this year, let alone how fun it is going to be to make her suits.  Her name is Stephanie.  She has inspired me to get off my ass and do some cardio!

As I sit here and type I am falling behind on work again, so alas, I must close this babble and get back to work…………………………….BUT I must leave something good at the end, so the other day listening to music on the satelite an song from India Arie, I think that is how her name is spelled was singing a song that said this;

“There’s hope………It don’t cost a thing to smile…………………You don’t have to pay to laugh…………….You better thank God for that!”

I had to stop working and write that down………………………………………….Have a good one!

Years and years ago, a prevalent person in my life named Kenneth August Johnson (known as Kaj), said to me “Common sense, Merry.”  This was in reference to our training in the gym.  He was (hopefully still is) the best trainer I have known to this day.  The most effective exercises I have ever learned was from him, and to this day there have been a few I have picked up a few new exercises along the way, but I always use the things he taught me.  Because they are SAFE and EFFECTIVE.

That info up there is why I must share this story about him, for it popped into my head today.  I have told a few friends of this story but it is totally worthy to share with many.

We worked out in a gym called Natural Physique, owned by back then, the famous Nichole Bass and her husband Bobby Fuchs.  Now Bobby was one of the most funny men around.  And he LOVED starting little bits of trouble just for entertainment sake.  I can’t remember who it was that was being obnoxious in the gym, but Kaj and I were training and Bobby pulls us both aside to show of Kaj’s strength (He was also a respected Sensei).  Ken sets up two ten pound dumbbells on thier ends, puts his feet on a bench adjusts himself so his middle knuckles are resting on the dumbbell ends, then Bobby helps me up on Kaj’s back right on his shoulder blades.  He proceeds to do, oh, about five push ups with only the sound of his breath coming out on the exhale.  That totally blew people away and the attitude that day in the gym was pretty mellow.  I wonder if there is ANYONE that could pull that off out there…………….

That incident, which happened, I “think” around 1989 or 90, has ruined me in a gym because every time I have to put up with some dumb ass yelling at the top of his lungs and dropping weights just puts the goose bumps on my back.  He also preached to me that if you can’t put them down the same way you picked them up then you shouldn’t be messing with them!  This is not snobbery, this is common sense.

Now I do believe there are exceptions.  Powerlifters are always null and void when it comes to lifting rules.   The reason I am even compelled to write this down is because the ”common sense” has been repeating itself in my head over and over the past few days.  It makes life much more simple.  There are so damned many supplements and new exercise techniques and gadgets out there that it gets confusing.  Especially for an older gal like me.  Damn, there is always something on the news, health related about supplements, drugs, cause of fatigue, dangers of cell phones, coffee ups and downs, fats, carbs, chocolate new inventive workout programs that work better that ANYTHING before………………..IT JUST NEVER ENDS…….!!!!! 

As of today I am going to try to not have any contact with network or radio for a few days and see how it affects me.  I have my music on, but I will listen to no news or any television and I will see if I can last the day.    I will be honest, so a week from today I will post another blog and let you know how long I lasted. 

If anyone even reads this crap…………….

Surreal is the only word to describe my mornings.  The place I run, has countless textures and shades of green.  As the sun comes up and creeps through the crevices of the plant life, everything changes minute by minute.  A pair of dragonfies will decided to come with me and my dogs for a while, flying along side until they are bored, then they fly away.  A squirrel will run up the side of a tree with its high pitched voice.  I always talk back to them, and they look you right in the face with no fear.  I never want the morning runs to end. 

I made a comment to one of my dearest friends the other day that I never miss anyone.   I have always been one to cherish moments alone.  I need to be alone to be creative.  I have been drowning in social time lately and it absolutely eats me from inside and whatever of me is left is rotted out.  My metamorphise is painful and grueling.  Anyway, my friend was somewhat taken back when I made the missing someone comment.  Here is my take on that.  ONLY MY opinion, but I believe that missing someone is just another selfish act.  I have no time to “dwell” on anything, therefore I don’t miss anyone when they are gone.  I enjoy the times I am with people, providing they are positive and confident.  But I believe it is useless to waste time on “missing”.    “In love”, jealousy, missing/longing, hate, all take so much energy.  If you are consumed by these emotions they will leave you empty inside.  I, personally, can’t afford the time for any of that.  Oh yea, and if you think about it, “excuses” take a lot of energy as well.  By the time you have explained why you can’t do something you could have done it.  Just admit you don’t want to do it.  I sure do.

Since I sit here working all day I have the TV on most of the time.  I love the ”Chiller” channel.  It is continuous scarey programing.  Old movies, Alfred Hitchcock, Night Gallery, Tales from the crypt.  I guess I should not say it inspires me.  That might scare some of my clients, no?  I also like to watch the cable news channels but damn, there is so much negative news.  I guess that’s what news is suppose to show is all the bad things that are happening.  Is this because people get bored with good things?  Or are we suppose to focus on the bad stuff in hopes that it will make people try to make things better?  Am I just totally off my rocker??  Watch that “Cops” show, man, if that won’t make you thankful for your life, nothing will.  I put a mirror up on my wall in front of my crystal table so I don’t have to turn around all the time to watch the boob tube.  So when I actually watch the television in the house, EVERYTHING IS BACKWARDS!

For any of you that actually read this blog, it is soooooo difficult for me to write what goes on in this crazy head of mine.  Time for me to go back to work!

I really love that sentence………Think about it. 

I am going to reminisce for a bit.  Above my desk here I have a collage.  In fact I love collages.  I have made collages in every single work space my entire life.  Favorite people, cars, clothes, castles, magazine ads, sayings, cartoons, etc..  Anything that inspires me enough that I know the second I see the picture I will never tire of it.  In the very center of the collage above my desk here is a picture of Davana Medina from Muscle and Fitness in her opal two piece.  This was to be her last layout in the IFBB industry.  Her last Ms. Olympia title, undefeated.  No one ever had the priviledge to say they beat her.  Attacked by many, defeated by none.  And in the upper left corner of the picture is her wedding picture with her husband John.  A reminder what is the most important to her. 

To this day, I have yet to be as inspired as I was every single time I made a suit for her.  Don’t know why, and definintely no disrespect to any of the beautiful women I work with now, especially the ones I have been working with for years.  There was something about her drive, ambition, and dedication to pleasing the people that gave her the title.  I think a lot of the inspiration came from the issue that she had so many “haters” in the competition field at the pro level.  One time her make up case mysteriously disapeared out of the dressing room.  The level of disrespect to her moved me.  So I think maybe I just always wanted to shove her undeniable beauty in their faces.  Bottom line was it didn’t matter how much they tried to destroy Cinderella.  Bottom line, she was and always will be the undisputed beautiful queen of this industries figure category.   Look at her in any line up and tell me why I am wrong.  I sure miss working with her.  And I cannot begin to express how much I love and respect that girl to this day.  But I will tell you this.  She is a very happy wife and mother…………

Reminisce a bit further back.  I MISS THE OLD NAUTILUS MACHINES!!!  Oh how I miss them.  Those big huge machines that when you got into them you were sure that after 12 - 15 reps you were not only pumped but in PERFECT form.  What I would give to find a gym that had all of that old school stuff near me.  Not a single machine back then made by Nautilus had a negative issue.  Now everything has to be space effective.  You have to stand there and figure out which shoulder press is going to be more effective.  And gawd help the leg press machines!!  I miss the cable cross over machines that were just cables and you set the plates onto the bar.  That is when you really had to steady on your own.  The old Nautilus ab machine was my favorite.  I have not been there since 04 (unfortunately) but the Venice Golds Gym (Mecca) has all of the old Nautilus stuff still.  I sure hope they never took them out.  It would be a sin.  Especially from that gym.  The kindest people I have ever been around is at that gym.  It has every reason to be the snobbiest gym in the world, but it is the complete opposite.  If you ever are around Venice Beach in California, you must get a work out in there. 

I imagine my longing to reminisce is because of our shitty weather, crazy politics, horrble recession, global warming threats, unnecessary sprawling development threatening my mountains, and my fat booty, that is making me wish back a few years.  Which is unusually off for me.  But I am humble and will admit my emotions for the moment.   I cannot help but watch the news, using the excuse to keep up to date with what is happening in the world, but damn, why is it always bad lately?  I know we can’t live in lala land but what is going on????

LOOK OUTSIDE AT THE BIRDS!!!  Oh yes, okay.  It is what it is where it is……………………………………